Karachi ( Khyber Point) After months of fiery rhetoric and calls for a boycott, India has agreed to play against Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, signaling that financial interests and international obligations have outweighed nationalist slogans.
In recent months, rising military tensions between the two neighbors had fueled campaigns by Hindu hardliners in India urging a complete boycott of sporting ties with Pakistan. However, cricket analysts and observers consistently argued that such a move was unsustainable, warning that India stood to suffer massive financial losses if it withdrew from high-profile tournaments.
That prediction now appears to have come true. India refused to face Pakistan in the Legends Championship, where no major financial stakes were involved. But with the Asia Cup — a multi-nation tournament carrying huge commercial value — India has put aside its boycott rhetoric and confirmed participation.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia, in an interview with NDTV, acknowledged that a complete boycott of Pakistan in sports was “not possible.” He warned that refusing to play against Pakistan in multinational tournaments could invite strict sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC) or the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). “Such steps could also harm the careers of young cricketers,” he said.
Saikia clarified that decisions regarding participation rest with the central government, which formulates sports policy. “This decision was made with great care, keeping in mind the interests of national sports federations and the concerns of players,” he explained, adding that the BCCI strictly follows government guidelines.
India and Pakistan are set to clash on September 14 in the group stage of the Asia Cup. Depending on results, the arch-rivals could meet up to three times during the tournament — encounters that remain among the most anticipated fixtures in world cricket.
